A Story From The Pomegranate Tree
by shippingeveryone
Summary: Hassan/Amir/Assef


Chapter 1

Amir had never understood quite why he was drawn to the local bully, Assef. The other boy was notorious, infamous even, for harassing all the kids in Kabul and had once gone as far as biting a boy's ear off in a fight. Amir knew that Assef had never once liked his hazara servant, Hassan but saw nothing of it, considering the ongoing fight between the pashtun and hazara people. Besides, all Hassan was to Amir was a servant, it's not like he'd ever admit to them being more than that.

"Amir agha!" Hassan called from the bottom of the hill, looking up at his master. "Amira agha, you came here without me?" he questioned in a confused tone. Amir sighed and stared towards the younger boy, running up the hill towards him. His loyalty was never-ending, though sometimes Amir wondered whether that was a good thing.

"I needed some time to do some reading for school Hassan." He replied.

Hassan's entire face lightened and he looked to Amir hopefully. "Will you read to me Amir agha?"

"Alright." Amir nodded and motioned for Hassan to sit beside him. Hassan lowered his body to the floor and sat cross-legged in front of Amir in anticipation.

"What is the story Amir agha?" Hassan asked patiently.

"It's called 'Twelfth Night'. It's a play by one of the best writers of all time, William Shakespeare." He told the younger boy. "It's basically a story about love and how all these people love the wrong person." Amir explained.

Hassan nodded in understanding. "That must be horrible, don't you think Amir agha?" He looked down to his feet. "I hope one day someone will love me." He whispered.

Amir frowned and pulled the other boy into a sort of half-hug. "Why wouldn't they Hassan? Someone will fall for the greatest kite runner in Kabul, they have to." He assured him, smiling. Hassan looked back up to his friend, the one person he respected more than anyone in the world.

"But what if they want someone else?" He asked, his face in a morbid down-turn. Amir didn't like the look on his servant's face. He'd never seen Hassan anything but happy or curious and the saddened expression on his face more than disturbed him. It was something he hoped he wouldn't have to see again any time soon.

"They'd be stupid not to." Amir told him, smiling. Hassan gave him a small smile in return but neither of them were convinced of its sincerity.

"Baba, Hassan and I are going out to play!" Amir called into his father's study. He didn't dare go inside, Baba was probably at work on some important business he was too 'naive' to know about.

"Be safe boys, why don't the two of you ask Assef to play with you? He's rather good at soccer you know - plays the same position I did when I was young." He replied hopefully.

Amir rolled his eyes, glad his father couldn't see. _Yeah, you'd like that, _he thought, _he'd much rather have Assef as his son, who wouldn't?_ Amir sighed and took Hassan's hand, dragging him from the room and out into the front yard.

Hassan looked down at his hand intertwined with Amir's and his heart quickened just slightly. He didn't really understand what was happening to him but he realised it wasn't anything good. His body tingled in a strange way he didn't recognise and he began to worry what would happen if Amir found out about his feelings. He and his father would surely be kicked out of the house and have nowhere to go. Amir and Baba were the only ones he and Ali had, he couldn't risk everything for some stupid feelings he had towards Amir. They weren't just from different worlds, they might as well have been from different universes.

Amir lead the way to the usual spot in the street that was generally empty. He and Hassan liked to play western there and imitate all of the movies they'd seen together at the Iranian cinema. There was also a small afterthought in Amir's mind. _Sometimes Assef and his friends came to this spot to cause trouble. It wasn't often, but maybe today, he'd be there. _

Amir wasn't sure what he'd do if Assef ever did turn up, he knew that he had a hatred for his hazara servant and he wasn't going to keep his mouth shut around the 'flat-nosed' boy.

The boys spent two hours playing before they heard noises of shouting boys in the distance. Amir's heart picked up a little, while Hassan's posture tensed and he became visibly smaller. He knew those voices and he was all-too aware of what was about to happen.

Assef turned the corner with his groupies, his eyes piercing into those of Amir, and then in turn, Hassan.

"Still playing with this flat-nosed hazara?" Assef taunted Amir, laughing with his friends.

Hassan frowned and cowered slightly, waiting for something more physical to come.

"He's just my servant." Amir stated in a monotonous tone.

Hassan flinched. With that statement, Amir just hurt him so much more than any physical attack ever could. That's all he was to him. Just a servant.

Assef laughed. "At least he knows his place. If you ever want to hang around with some pashtuns worth your time Amir, you know where to find us." The taller boy smiled at Amir charismatically and Hassan glanced at his best friend who was staring in amazement at Assef. His heart sank and he soon felt the same way Viola must have in Twelfth Night when she realised the one she loved was in love with another. The only person Hassan had ever trusted or loved in his life wanted his worst enemy. He wanted the boy who pushed him around frequently, abusing him in more ways than one. He didn't want him. He never would.


End file.
